Mickey Rourke seemingly criticized a portrayal of Bob Dylan just days before Timothée Chalamet takes on the rock legend.
“Bob Dylan was one of the most interesting people i’ve ever met,” Rourke, 72, wrote via Instagram on Monday, December 23 with a photo of the music icon. “But whoever was the actor who played Bob Dylan in ‘Portrain Bob Dylan’ the actor really sucked. Mickey,Dima & kids wuffwuffwuff.”
While Chalamet was not named, Rourke’s candid post comes days before the young actor’s new movie, A Complete Unknown, is released on Christmas Day.
In the film, Chalamet, 28, portrays Dylan, now 83, from the beginning of his career in 1960s New York to his famous electric guitar performance of “Like a Rolling Stone” at the 1965 Newport Folk Festival.
One person who appeared more than excited about the casting and movie was Dylan himself.
“There’s a movie about me opening soon called A Complete Unknown (what a title!). Timothee Chalamet is starring in the lead role,” Dylan wrote via X on December 4. “Timmy’s a brilliant actor so I’m sure he’s going to be completely believable as me. Or a younger me. Or some other me.”
Dylan explained that the film is taken from Elijah Wald’s Dylan Goes Electric — a book that came out in 2015.
“It’s a fantastic retelling of events from the early ‘60s that led up to the fiasco at Newport,” he added. “After you’ve seen the movie, read the book.”
Chalamet later expressed his gratitude for Dylan’s post by replying, “Floored. I am so grateful. Thank you Bob.”
As part of the role, Chalamet enlisted the help of a vocal coach before he sang and played guitar live on set. When speaking to Apple Music in November, the actor called the role “the most unique challenge I’ve taken on.”
While it’s unclear what Dylan thinks of Rourke’s latest Instagram post, he previously expressed awe at his work on the big screen.
In his memoir titled Chronicles, Volume One, Dylan recalled seeing Rourke’s performance in Homeboy and shared how it made such an impact on his album Oh Mercy.
“He could break your heart with a look,” Dylan wrote. “The movie traveled to the moon every time he came onto the screen. Nobody could hold a candle to him. He was just there, didn’t have to say hello or goodbye. Just seeing him act gave me the inspiration to cut the last two songs for this album.”
Us has reached out to Rourke’s team for comment.
A Complete Unknown hits theaters on Wednesday, December 25.
Jennifer Lopez is opening up about her quest to be the best mom to her kids as well as the best version of herself.
“As a mom, you always want to put your best foot forward for your kids,” Lopez, 55, told British Vogue in an interview published Friday, December 20. “You want to lift them up. But that doesn’t stop you from being a human being who struggles.”
Lopez shares 16-year-old twins Max and Emme with ex-husband Marc Anthony.
In her new film Unstoppable, Lopez plays the mother of Anthony Robles, a wrestler who was born with one leg and won a 2011 national championship.
Lopez said she connected with Judy Robles’ real-life story of wanting to be the best parent possible even while facing hardships.
“Being a mom and knowing what it is to want to give the best to your children and put forward your best face for them all the time, but also be struggling as a woman in relationships and in life with your own dreams and your own aspirations and what that means and that feels like,” Lopez explained, “I think for me, was the biggest thing.”
Later on in their interview, Lopez said she felt “very deeply” about Judy’s marriage hardships because she’s “been in the same spot at times.” (Judy divorced her husband after 20 years of marriage.)
“Maybe I shouldn’t be giving this person a chance, you know what I mean? Maybe I should end this right now and go back,” Lopez explained. “I don’t think there’s a woman on Earth who hasn’t been in that position — or even men!”
Anthony, 56, and Lopez separated in 2011 after nearly seven years of marriage. Their divorce was ultimately finalized in 2014.
“When my marriage ended, it was not easy to find forgiveness,” Lopez toldW in May 2016. “It wasn’t the dream that I had hoped for, and it would have been easier to fan the flames of resentment, disappointment and anger. But Marc is the father of my children, and that’s never going away. So I have to work to make things right. And that is, by far, the hardest work I do.”
More recently, Lopez ended her two-year marriage toBen Affleck in August 2024. He has since called her performance in Unstoppable “spectacular.” (Affleck’s production company, Artists Equity, produced the sports drama.)
Moving forward, Lopez said she wants to give herself more credit for what she has been through in her personal and professional life.
“Now I think, with everything that’s happened in my life and in my relationships and even in my career, it’s like, give yourself a bit of comfort and love,” she said in an October conversation for Interview magazine. “We’ve been through a lot of things that nobody knows about, and you’ve persevered and you refuse to give up and to let it get you down.”
Unstoppable is scheduled to debut on Prime Video January 16, 2025.
“Yes, I did get to talk to her, which was an unforgettable experience,” a fan named Carley shared via TikTok on Monday, December 23. “It was a very short interaction, but I’ll never forget it.”
As the Chiefs took on the Houston Texans at Arrowhead Stadium on Saturday, December 21, Carley was able to grab the attention of Swift, 35.
“I had a custom jersey on,” she explained. “It was an 87 jersey but instead of Kelce on the nameplate, it said ‘Karma.’ I had it all bedazzled and everything. Once I got her to see that, she did a little jaw drop and said, ‘So cute. I love it!’”
This past weekend was no different when she showed up in a faux fur jacket from Charlotte Simone, a Chanel bucket hat and knee-high Manolo Blahnik black boots.
While Swift attended the game in a suite with her parents, Andrea and Scott, and Kelce’s parents, Donna and Ed, Carley revealed that the singer blended in with all the other Chiefs fans.
“She really is just like a fan when she’s there, which is so cool,” Carley explained in her TikTok video. “There was a bad call, for example, and she was talking about the ref and how he was at previous games. We had this eye roll at each other like, ‘What are these refs thinking’ kind of thing. It was cool to have those human interactions with her as you’d have with any other Chiefs fan.”
For Swifites wondering what it’s really like to sit just rows in front of Swift on game day, Carley revealed the venue’s security checked everyone’s tickets and had a few requests.
“We were asked to not ask for pictures because it would start a swarm,” she said. “Don’t pass anything through the window.”
Ultimately, the guidance didn’t prevent Carley from scoring on game day. In addition to interacting with Swift, the Chiefs fan watched her team beat the Texans. Their next game will be against the Pittsburgh Steelers on Wednesday, December 25.
“Overall, it was literally a perfect day,” Carley said. “I will remember it forever.”
“The cutest thing about watching was that Ellie was watching at the end of the movie and got blushed on the cheeks,” Kylie, 32, shared on the Tuesday, December 24, episode of the “New Heights” podcast. “She was so excited and the next day, she told me, ‘Mom, that cute boy who played the drums? Will you show me a picture of him?’”
After googling Sam from Love Actually — whose stepfather Daniel is played by Liam Neeson — Kylie found a photo of actor Thomas Brodie-Sangster that left their 3-year-old daughter “giggling.”
In addition to Ellie, Jason, 37, and Kylie are also parents to Wyatt, 5, and 22-month-old Bennett. They are expecting their fourth child in 2025.
When Travis Kelce laughed at the idea of his nieces watching Love Actually at such a young age, Kylie clarified that they didn’t watch every story line play out.
“They only saw the end,” she said with a laugh. “They almost saw the boobs but I warned Jason. He sped it up.”
Released in 2003, Love Actually features nine intertwined stories that examine the complexities of the one emotion that connects all individuals — love. Hugh Grant, Colin Firth, Emma Thompson, Keira Knightley and the late Alan Rickman are just some of the actors who make up the star-studded cast.
“I think it’s lovely,” Kylie said when sharing her review of the film. “It could be my ADHD that makes me like this movie so much because it’s a bunch of small stories in one big movie and it hops around a lot. That’s helpful for me.”
In comparison, Jason suggested it “might be the worst Christmas movie I’ve ever seen.”
“I don’t even know if it’s up for debate,” he added. “There was zero Christmas spirit.”
Travis, 35, added, “I didn’t feel Christmas at all during the movie. I enjoyed the movie, I just didn’t understand how much it really tied into Christmas.”
When Kylie suggested the movie was more about romance, Jason wasn’t buying it.
“Let me tell you,” he replied. “If Love Actually is about romance, I do not understand romance.”
Luckily, Jason won’t have much time to enjoy any movies on Christmas Day. Instead, the ESPN analyst will likely be watching his brother and the Kansas City Chiefs take on the Pittsburgh Steelers on Wednesday, December 25.
In the complaint obtained by Us Weekly, Lively alleged that Baldoni created a “hostile work environment” and caused her “severe emotional distress” while filming the movie based on Colleen Hoover’s novel of the same name. The lawsuit additionally claimed that Baldoni and his team launched a “social manipulation” campaign against Lively to damage her reputation.
Baldoni’s lawyer, Bryan Freedman, denied the accusations in a statement to Us and claimed Lively filed the suit to “fix her negative reputation” and “rehash a narrative” about what went down before the film hit theaters in August 2024. He further denied the “outrageous” claims, calling them “completely false” and “intentionally salacious.”
Since the lawsuit was filed, several It Ends With Us stars have spoken out about the accusations, with many publicly expressing their support for Lively. Sony Pictures, the studio behind the film, also released a statement that “strongly condemn[ed] any reputational attacks” on Lively, adding, “Any such attacks have no place in our business or in a civil society.”
Keep reading to see what the cast has to say about the legal battle so far:
Brandon Sklenar
In a public display of support for Lively, Sklenar reposted the New York Times article that outlined her allegations against Baldoni via his Instagram Story.
He titled the link to the story, “For the Love of God Read This.” The actor also tagged Lively in the post alongside a single red heart emoji.
Jenny Slate
Although she played the sister of Baldoni’s character, Ryle Kincaid, in It Ends With Us, Slate expressed her support for Lively off screen.
“As Blake Lively’s castmate and friend, I voice my support as she takes action against those reported to have planned and carried out an attack on her reputation,” Slateshared in a statement to Today.com. “Blake is a leader, loyal friend and a trusted source of emotional support for me and so many who know and love her.”
She added: “What has been revealed about the attack on Blake is terribly dark, disturbing, and wholly threatening. I commend my friend, I admire her bravery, and I stand by her side.”
The author of It Ends With Us — who also makes a small cameo in the movie — took to social media to share glowing praise for Lively after the actress’ lawsuit went public.
“Blake Lively you have been nothing but honest, kind, supportive and patient since the day we met,” Hoover wrote via her Instagram Story. “Thank you for being exactly the human that you are. Never change. Never wilt.”
In a second statement, Hoover declared that “Blake’s ability to refuse to sit down and ‘be buried’ has been nothing short of inspiring.”
Snoop Dogg’s daughter Cori Broadus is pregnant and expecting her first baby with fiancé Wayne Duece.
“I found out October 28,” Broadus, 25, told E! News in an interview published Monday, December 23. “This baby is so unplanned, but we are soooooo blessed.”
Broadus — who was diagnosed with lupus at age 6 — said she is currently four months along and feeling great.
“I’m a high-risk pregnancy and doctors were very concerned for me and the baby,” Broadus explained, “but God has his hands on me, and me and the baby are doing perfectly fine. I’m having a girl.”
Soon after Broadus shared the news, Duece took to social media and expressed his excitement about becoming a father. “Girl dad ,” he wrote via Instagram on December 23. “Can’t wait to meet you baby girl .”
Broadus’ baby news comes after she participated in a three-part E! special titled Snoop’s Fatherhood: Cori & Wayne’sStory. The show documented Broadus and Duece’s love story and decision to postpone their wedding after she suffered a severe stroke at 24.
Instead of planning their nuptials, the pair now appear to be focused on becoming parents.
“I’m just excited to love on my baby girl and make her feel like she’s the prettiest in the world,” Broadus told E!. “Growing up, I wasn’t the most confident and never felt like I fit in, so just to instill all the beautiful things in her head at a young age. And I’m having a mini me. Wayne said he’s excited to have someone that looks like me. He knows she is going to be so beautiful and he just can’t wait to build things for her and give her all the love in the world.”
Another man Broadus can count on for love and support is her dad. The Voice coach — who shares son Corde, 30, and Cordell, 27, with wife Shante Broadus and son Julian, 26, from a previous relationship — previously gushed about the close bond he has with his youngest child.
“We have a very tight bond. She’s my only daughter,” he exclusively told UsWeekly for his and Broadus’ cover story earlier this month. “That in itself is special.”
Broadus added, “It’s a beautiful relationship. I’m the princess. He had two boys, and then me, his baby girl. It’s a different type of love. You have to be softer, more loving and caring and more sensitive and fragile.”
Snoop Dogg’s Fatherhood: Cori and Wayne’s Story is available to stream now on Peacock.
On Monday, December 23, the actress confirmed she would be holding a special online holiday charity auction for her fans and followers.
“Today is a great day in your life, maybe the greatest. You want to know why?” Neal, 48, asked her followers via Instagram. “Because I’m doing something my buddies and I have been talking about for years and it’s kind of stupid. I’m going to go live for 12 hours on YouTube and Instagram where I sell almost everything I have for charity because I’m moving around the world and you know what? Who needs to take stuff with you?”
According to Neal, fans can expect “tons of swag” from her years playing ADA Casey Novak on Law & Order: SVU as well as her appearances in the NCIS franchise.
“I mean things nobody else has and yeah, I’m jingling,” she said while wearing an ugly holiday sweater. “I made this sweatshirt and yeah, I did sew those on.”
Before the auction began, Neal gave a preview of some of the items she would be putting up for auction including costumes, original artwork and even a calendar autographed by Coco.
“Get ready to spice up your life with this stunning 2005 calendar featuring the super sexy Coco Nicole Austin, wife of Ice-T!” Neal wrote via eBay with $100 as the starting bid. “This gorgeous calendar is in like-new condition and comes autographed, making it a must-have for fans and collectors alike.”
Another item is a pair of Victoria’s Secret pajama bottoms worn by Neal while filming season 5 of SVU.
“Casey Novak is forced after-hours to find a friendly judge for a warrant and walks in on five of them playing a late-night poker game,” the item’s description read. “Novak’s worst nightmare!”
Neal warned her fans that it may be difficult for her to stay awake all night long for the evening auction.
“There’s a good chance that I may take a nap at some point,” she warned, “and you might just have to watch or do the dishes or anything like that.”
At the same time, Neal demonstrated her selling skills by teasing what would be available.
“It’s going to be incredible,” she explained while mentioning Gucci, Dior, Givenchy and more designer brands in her caption. “You have no idea the kind of stuff I have. Some of it is still with tags on. It’s shocking. It’s going to be tons of fun, ridiculousness, probably some songs.”
After Lively, 37, sued herIt Ends With Us costar and director for sexual harassment, a high-profile attorney is sharing his perspective about what could happen next.
“He’s gotta lawyer up,” attorney Ron Zambrano, who is not affiliated with the case, exclusively told Us Weekly. “Then he has to respond to the [Civil Rights Department’s] requests to rebut the complaint in whatever way his team deems best.” (Baldoni, 40, is currently being represented by attorney Bryan Freedman.)
According to Zambrano, the rules in the civil rights department investigation are “not as high stakes as in civil claims in that there are no real consequences for being evasive like there is in civil court.”
“But if he’s too evasive, the full might of the [Civil Rights Department] may aim its ire at Baldoni, and he wouldn’t want that either,” Zambrano — who also weighed in on Lively’s possible next steps with Us — added. “But there may be a real motivator to keep it out of civil court.”
In the lawsuit, which was filed on Friday, December 20, and obtained by Us Weekly, Lively accused Baldoni of launching a “social manipulation” campaign against her to “destroy” her reputation.
Lively also accused Baldoni of body-shaming her on set and alleged that Baldoni improvised unwanted kissing and discussed his sex life.
Baldoni’s lawyer called Lively’s accusations “completely false, outrageous and intentionally salacious” in a statement to Us, claiming that the actress filed the lawsuit to “fix her negative reputation” and “rehash a narrative” about the film’s production.
While it’s too soon to say if the suit will eventually go to trial, Zambrano predicts the Civil Rights Department may order both parties to mediate.
“Whether they actually settle is up to the parties,” Zambrano explained to Us. “The requirement is only to participate in mediation. It’s always in the benefit of the defendant to resolve the case.”
Since the lawsuit was filed, Lively has received support from the It Ends With Us book author Colleen Hoover as well as her Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants costars including America Ferrera,Amber Tamblyn and Alexis Bledel.
“As Blake’s friends and sisters for over twenty years, we stand with her in solidarity as she fights back against the reported campaign waged to destroy her reputation,” the trio shared in a joint statement. “Throughout the filming of It Ends with Us, we saw her summon the courage to ask for a safe workplace for herself and colleagues on set, and we are appalled to read the evidence of a premeditated and vindictive effort that ensued to discredit her voice.”
In a statement to The New York Times regarding her lawsuit, Lively said, “I hope that my legal action helps pull back the curtain on these sinister retaliatory tactics to harm people who speak up about misconduct and helps protect others who may be targeted.”
QVC program host Kerstin Lindquist announced she is leaving the shopping network in early 2025.
“After a prayerful year, God has led me to such a time as this,” Lindquist shared via Instagram on Saturday, December 21. “It’s time for me to step back from my position at QVC. It’s time for me to have more time for my teens & family. It’s time for God to make a greater impact through me by focusing on faith & wellness in women’s lives.”
After more than 13 years with QVC, Lindquist will host her final Saturday Morning Q show on Saturday, December 28. She will still make special appearances in early 2025.
“You will see me a few more times in January/February for health and wellness shows,” she shared without revealing her final show just yet. “I make this move with all the love in my heart for QVC.”
Lindquist joined QVC in 2011 and her first item ever sold was a metal birdhouse.
During her time with the shopping network, she was able to work with familiar faces like Candace Cameron Bure, Venus Williams and Josie Maran.
In addition to collaborating on a fashion line with Studio Park, Lindquist also became passionate about sharing health and wellness products with viewers.
“When I decided to come to QVC more than 13 years ago, it was because of the way I was able to connect with you in an honest, vulnerable manner unlike any other job in TV or retail,” Lindquist wrote via Instagram. “You were with me when we brought home my son, lost my mom, moved to be missionaries and all the heartbreak and joy in between.”
According to Lindquist, her bond with viewers was “more than shopping, it’s a relationship, and we will always be family.”
“I pray I’ll still be able to serve you in what’s to come for me in 2025,” she continued, “and I know if you follow along you will continue to be blessed. Xoxo.”
Soon after sharing her announcement, Lindquist received support from viewers and members of the QVC family.
“So proud of you! You will soar and shine!” former QVC host Jill Bauer shared via Facebook. Current host Nancy Yoon added, “We love you Kerstin Lindquist QVC you will be so missed!!!”
Lindquist isn’t the only familiar face leaving QVC. In November, Jennifer Coffeyannounced she would be leaving the network after 13 years. Her final celebratory show will be on Tuesday, December 31.
Saturday Morning Q airs on QVC Saturdays at 10 a.m. ET.
Married to Medicine’s Quad Webb is no longer hiding her knight in shining armor.
After keeping her boyfriend, King, private for nearly one year, the reality star is ready to introduce her man to the Bravo series and the world.
“For me, I move in silence,” Quad, 44, exclusively told Us Weekly earlier this month while promoting Married to Medicine. “In terms of keeping him private to myself, it was just us establishing our relationship and I didn’t want us to be affected by any outside influences or any noise. Also, let’s just keep it real. I had to make sure that he was there for the right reasons.”
Since the show began in 2013, Quad has opened up her life to Bravo cameras. Whether experiencing a divorce from Dr. Greg Lunceford or dealing with friendship breakups with certain cast members, the women’s health advocate hasn’t shied away from sharing the good, bad and ugly of her reality.
In this season of her life, however, Quad is feeling good after beginning a romantic relationship away from the cameras.
“I wanted to truly get to know him, to get to know his family and to see if this was something that was for the long hall,” she explained to Us. “We see a lot of times, people jump into these relationships and they’re just these little micro relationships. They’re three months here and it’s a new person on social media. Then you got six months here and it’s a new person and I’m just not into that. I would rather just wait for God to bring me my person and really take the time to craft and develop that relationship before I bring that relationship to the masses.”
During a recent episode of Married to Medicine, Quad was treated to a lavish birthday party courtesy of King, 41. Many cast members were surprised to learn their costar and friend was dating someone so special.
“I’m out and about in Atlanta, and I never [saw] him and her together, which made us all think originally that maybe it was a rent-a-husband,” Toya Bush-Harris joked to Us Weekly earlier this month at DIRECTV’s “Christmas at Kathy” Hilton’s party. “But when I tell you, when they look at each other, they look like they love each other. It’s wonderful.”
While Quad acknowledges that she may have “pissed off” some fans and colleagues for keeping her relationship private, she appears to have no regrets.
“It wasn’t their business from the beginning,” she explained. “I have never been that nosy that I want to know who someone is sleeping with. I don’t give a damn.”
As viewers keep watching Married to Medicine to learn more about King, Quad admitted to Us that the relationship caught her by surprise.
On May 15, 2023, however, everything changed when a “light bulb just went off” and she decided to pursue a romantic relationship with King.
“We were reconnected by a mutual friend and I remember looking at him, and I said, ‘You like me, don’t you?’” Quad said. “He’s fine. He’s handsome. He’s suave. His demeanor is real chill and I was really drawn into him in the way that he conducts himself as a man.”
As their relationship continues to grow in Atlanta, Quad — who recently launched her S.A.S.S. All Purpose Seasoning on Amazon — is looking towards the future and promises she has nothing to hide.
“The Lord knows that I have been through some things. It’s just timing,” she said. “I stayed prayerful, and it just worked itself out. Literally, this man shows up, and then the light bulb goes off. I thought he was so fine too.”
Married to Medicine airs on Bravo Sundays at 9 p.m. ET. Stream past episodes anytime on Peacock.
Justin Baldoni appears to have nothing but positive things to say about his It Ends with Us costar, Blake Lively, as reports of an on set feud continue circulating online.
The drama officially hit theaters in August 2024, and Baldoni, who both directed and starred opposite Lively, has heaped praise on his onscreen partner.
“Blake was involved in every aspect of the film once she came onto the project, from scenes and dialogue until the end, until now,” he told Entertainment Weekly. “She’s been involved in all of it, and she’s been a powerhouse of a creative and a wonderful collaborator.”
It Ends With Us, which is adapted from Colleen Hoover’s bestselling novel of the same name, follows florist Lily Bloom (Lively) as she enters into an abusive relationship with neurosurgeon Ryle Kincaid (Baldoni).
Amid their tumultuous relationship, Lily’s first love, Atlas Corrigan (Brandon Sklenar), reappears in her life.
TMZ reported in December 2024 that Lively sued Baldoni for sexual harassment.
Take a look at what Baldoni has said about Lively:
Why Was Blake Lively the Perfect Casting Choice?
When trying to find the perfect actress to play Lily, Baldoni said the team wanted a woman who was “extremely charming, likable and that everybody would root for.” Soon after, Lively’s name made the top of the list.
“The only box she didn’t check was that she didn’t have red hair, which is a very easy fix in the film business!” Baldoni joked to People. “She’s a creative force. She’s an executive producer on the film, and she is so brilliant. I believe that her performance is going to help so many women feel seen and showcase this unique experience in a way that I don’t believe I’ve seen in another film.”
When it came time to film difficult scenes of abuse for the movie, Baldoni said it was “really challenging” balancing his roles as actor and director. Fortunately, Lively proved to be a helpful guide and resource.
“Blake was a wonderful partner in those situations,” he told Entertainment Weekly. “It was so difficult, but I think that I surround myself with people that I trust and with really talented creatives, and if there’s ever a time where I’m unable to see the forest for the trees, I’ll look to my partners, and I’ll ask them what they think.”
“I really trusted her,” Baldoni continued. “She’s got a great eye, and she was on the other end so it was very hard, and there was just a lot of trust. I had a lot of trust for the people around me, and they didn’t steer me wrong.”
Baldoni added that he relied on Lively and the women working on the set to ensure the film focused on the female perspective.
“To be very candid, in many of the situations I would give my vision and then I would step back and let the women actually run the set and the show,” Baldoni told The Hollywood Reporter in an interview published on Saturday, August 10. “Blake was very involved as well and had a lot of ideas of how this should work. There were many times where I didn’t even say a word, where I was just watching and I was like, yes, that sounds great.”
He continued, “I was actually able to then go into Ryle because in those moments, it was the most complex for Ryle and the hardest for me as an actor. So they took a lot of weight off my shoulders, and also ensured that each of those scenes were handled with care and also did not have a male gaze but a female gaze because that was one of my early concerns when I was questioning if I could even direct this movie. I wanted to ensure that it kept and maintained the message of the book through a female perspective.”
How Did Blake Lively Help With Intimacy Scenes?
In January 2024, cameras captured Baldoni and Lively kissing while filming the movie. For viewers who spot any chemistry on the big screen, Baldoni is quick to give credit to his costar. “When it came to intimacy and all of that, [Lively] had a really clear vision and she was telling me what she thought would work, what she thought would be sexy,” he toldAccess Hollywood. “From the very beginning, this had to have a female point of view and I never wanted my biases as a man to infiltrate or hurt that project.”
What Did Justin Baldoni Think of Working With Blake Lively’s Husband Ryan Reynolds?
Before the movie was released, Lively confirmed her husband, Ryan Reynolds, wrote a pivotal scene in the film. Before the revelation, Baldoni appeared to hint that the Deadpool actor helped with the project. “Ryan was so generous. … He’s a creative genius, that guy,” he told Today.com. “So, you know, his gift is levity, and her gift is levity.”
When asked if he would work with the husband and wife duo again, he replied, “If they’d have me.”
Will Justin Baldoni Reunite With Blake Lively for a Sequel?
Book lovers know that It Ends With Us spawned an It Starts With Us sequel in 2022 that takes place years after the OG book. When asked about a potential second dose of acting and directing, Baldoni said it was too soon to tell. “You’re gonna have to ask me in a little while. We’re gonna take a vacation after this,” he told Entertainment Tonight before sharing his pick for the sequel’s director. “I think there are better people for that one. I think Blake Lively is ready to direct. That’s what I think.”
Did Justin Respond to Blake’s Lawsuit?
After Lively sued Baldoni for sexual harassment in December 2024, his lawyer, Bryan Freedman, called the accusations “completely false, outrageous and intentionally salacious” in a statement to Us. He claimed that Lively filed the lawsuit to “fix her negative reputation” and “rehash a narrative” regarding the film’s production.
Freedman alleged that Lively made “multiple demands and threats” while filming It Ends With Us, including “threatening to not show up to set, threatening to not promote the film, ultimately leading to its demise during release, if her demands were not met.” (Us reached out to Lively’s rep for comment at the time.)
If you or someone you know are experiencing domestic violence, please call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 for confidential support.
Sean “Diddy” Combs is facing another sexual assault lawsuit amid his ongoing legal woes.
According to a suit obtained by Us Weekly on Friday, December 20, LaTroya Grayson is suing the rap mogul over a 2006 incident where she was allegedly drugged and raped at a Diddy party. (TMZ was the first to report the news.)
It all began when Grayson’s sibling won a contest through an Oklahoma radio station. The prize included round-trip airfare for a winner and guest, a hotel room in New York City and two tickets to attend Diddy’s “White Party.”
Grayson alleges in court documents that she and her sibling went to the party, which was changed to a “Black Party.” The alleged victim said she was allowed to get inside the event while her sibling was left outside.
After having two drinks at the party, Grayson said she began to feel sick and headed to the restroom.
Grayson said in court documents she has no recollection of the rest of the night but remembers waking up at Saint Vincent’s Medical Center in New York with a ripped shirt and no underwear.
After flying back to Oklahoma, Grayson said in court documents she received a call from an anonymous female who allegedly told her not to pursue action against Diddy because he was a “celebrity” and she would just be “wasting her time.”
TMZ also reported that Grayson’s attorney Ariel Mitchell said that her client chose not to report a rape at the time out of fear and confusion.
In a statement to TMZ, Diddy’s team denied Grayson’s allegations, saying: “Mr. Combs has never sexually assaulted anyone or engaged in sex trafficking. Ms. Grayson admits she has no memory of the events alleged in her complaint, does not know who was supposedly involved, and has never spoken to Mr. Combs. Her allegations against him are pure fiction. As we’ve said before, Mr. Combs cannot respond to every baseless lawsuit and lawyer-driven money grab. He has faith in the judicial process, in which fact will be separated from opportunistic fabrications like these.”
According to her filing, Grayson doesn’t remember anything about the alleged assault. She also never mentions actually seeing or speaking with Diddy at the event.
The lawsuit comes after Diddy was arrested in September for sex trafficking, racketeering and other alleged crimes. He has denied the allegations and pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Since Diddy’s arrest in New York City, many alleged victims have filed lawsuits against him. As he remains in a Brooklyn prison while he awaits criminal trial in May 2025, Diddy has maintained his innocence and denied all civil allegations against him.
“Mr. Combs and his legal team have full confidence in the facts, their legal defenses, and the integrity of the judicial process,” read a statement to Us in October. “In court, the truth will prevail: that Mr. Combs has never sexually assaulted anyone — adult or minor, man or woman.”
If you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted, contact the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673).
The cast and crew of Teen Mom are ready to celebrate an unforgettable milestone.
On Friday, December 20, MTV announced its popular franchise is celebrating its sweet 16 with an all-new season of Teen Mom: The Next Chapter premiering in January.
“The season centers full circle moments and important milestones as Leah Messer, Maci Bookout and Amber Portwood find themselves parenting children who are now the same age as they were when the show first began,” MTV said in a statement. “Catelynn Lowell, who made the tough decision to place her daughter with adoptive parents, grapples with the emotional pain of the choice as that relationship changes.”
In a first look at the new season, cameras roll as Amber, 34, and Gary Shirley’s daughter, Leah, gets behind the wheel of a car as she prepares to learn how to drive.
As for Maci, 33, and Ryan Edwards’ son Bentley, he’s ready to have a big celebration for his 16th birthday. At the same time, he can’t believe what his own mom went through at his new age.
“I don’t know what I would do if I had a kid right now,” he shares.
“From driving lessons and college planning to safe sex conversations and managing relationships, the moms are stepping into uncharted territory,” MTV said, “taking stock of their journeys and reflecting on how quickly time has passed.”
While some parents are hard at work raising teenagers, others are considering expanding their families in 2025 and beyond.
According to MTV, Cheyenne, 32, and Mackenzie, 30, are hoping to expand their families with more children while Briana is taking steps to prevent future pregnancies.
On social media, Mackenzie has been documenting her journey with IVF. “Making IVF feel like the traditional as possible!” she wrote via Instagram in November. “Thanks @brownfertility making magic happen over here!”
As for Cheyenne, she has gone back and forth with her husband, Zach Davis, as to whether or not they want to have another child.
The couple are parents to son Ace, 3, while Cheyenne also coparents daughter Ryder, 7, with ex Cory Wharton.
“We actually have been trying to get pregnant,” Cheyenne told People in September. “Just send us good baby vibes, and hopefully we’re able to get pregnant soon.”
Teen Mom: The Next Chapter returns on MTV Thursday, January 30, at 8 p.m. ET.
During the Thursday, December 19, episode of Inside the NBA, the former Los Angeles Lakers player had his knees tested when he fell into a fully decorated tree on live TV.
“I have gifts for Christmas,” cohost Kenny Smith shared while heading to a fully decorated tree. “Shaq, I can’t get yours because it’s too heavy.”
When O’Neal, 52, agreed to get up from his anchor chair and pick up his blue present, Smith gave him a push that left him completely underneath the tree.
“Every year we get him, baby,” Smith, 59, said while laughing. “We get him once a year, man. He’s a sucker for gifts.”
After fellow cohosts Charles Barkley and Adam Lefkoe joked that their coworker was spending a little too much time surrounded by branches, Smith agreed to lend a hand.
“We gotta help him,” he joked. “We gotta help him out.”
This isn’t the first time O’Neal has found himself a little too close to a Christmas tree. Over the years, the athlete has been the target of must-see pranks on live TV.
During one instance, O’Neal was going to shoot a basketball into a hoop. Unfortunately, the audience couldn’t watch him make it in because a staffer pushed a Christmas tree into the player moments before he tried to shoot his shot.
Another year, O’Neal and Smith seemingly teamed up for a little holiday scuffle that resulted in the sports analyst being shoved into a tree.
“You were trying to box me out. I was trying to move out of the way,” Smith tried to explain about the 2014 viral moment. “Why’d you try to box me out?”
O’Neal playfully replied, “This means war.”
All jokes aside, the guys behind Inside the NBA on TNT have no problem getting into the holiday spirit.
Whether posing for Christmas photo shoots in their ugly holiday sweaters from Tipsy Elves or participating in the holiday edition of “Shaqtin’ a Fool,” the guys can’t hide their festive spirit and love for the game of basketball.
As an added bonus, the audience can’t seem to get enough of their innocent fun as well.
“These guys need to be around forever,” one user commented via Instagram. Another added, “I really appreciate these guys for all the laughs throughout the years.”
Inside the NBA airs following each NBA telecast on TNT.
When Meghan King couldn’t get tickets to Taylor Swift’s sold out The Eras Tour, she knew just how to shake it off.
“I have an 8-year-old daughter and I live in St. Louis, Missouri, so we didn’t have the privilege of having Taylor come to our city,” King, 40, exclusively told Us Weekly at iHeartRadio z100’s Jingle Ball concert on Friday, December 13. “But we had a cover band. Taylor Swift artists do a tour. Believe it or not, this exists. And so I [took] my 8-year-old daughter and it was amazing.”
“[It] goes back to what women are doing in music today,” King explained. “Taylor Swift is setting an example not just at her shows, but for other people to piggyback onto her success as well. I just love it. It’s girl power.”
TheEras Tour was previously confirmed as the highest-grossing tour of all time, grossing over $2 billion in ticket sales. Concerts all around the world sold out quickly, leading Swift to add more dates during the history-making tour, which officially ended on December 8.
Earlier this month, King gave a glimpse into her own unique concert experience at the St. Charles Family Arena. While it wasn’t Swift, 35, behind the mic, the “Faux Taylor” exceeded expectations.
“[Aspen] turned to me like the little fashionista she is and said, ‘Mom, I know that’s not the real Taylor bc she only wears red bottom shoes,’” King wrote via Instagram on December 10. “Once Aspen released this utterance of the glaring — appalling? — sacrilegious atrocity of an off-brand copycat DSW footwear choice, she immediately shifted into full-blown fan girl and we sang every word together for the rest of the show.”
“Night made. Month made. Year made? It was one for the books,” King added. “Thanks to Momo and Papa for the best seats in the house to celebrate Aspen’s 8th birthday and a sitter for the boys so mommy could join in on the magic too .”
In addition to raising Aspen, King also shares twin sons Hart and Hayes, 5, with her ex-husband Jim Edmonds.
While attending Jingle Ball at New York City’s Madison Square Garden, King was able to enjoy performances from Katy Perry, Meghan Trainor, Tate McRae and other artists.
When it comes to her top-played artist of 2024, however, King revealed it’s Sofi Tukker.
“She seems great,” Simpson, 48, exclusively told Us Weekly at Kathy Hilton’s DirecTV Christmas Party in Los Angeles on December 10. “I saw her the other night. I had dinner at her house. She seemed happy and I think she’s glad that it’s over.”
Although Beador, 60, and Janssen, 62, broke up at the end of 2022, the pair still found themselves connected.
Janssen’s girlfriend turned fiancée, Alexis Bellino, rejoined The Real Housewives of Orange County. One topic Bellino, 47, found herself discussing throughout season 18 was Janssen’s legal battle with Beador.
In March, Janssen sued his ex-girlfriend for breach of oral contract and promissory fraud, claiming that she failed to repay him $75,000. They eventually settled in November with Beador agreeing to pay $60,000.
“I was actually very in touch with Shannon during all of that, and I was very proud of her that it got settled,” Simpson told Us while wearing a Retrofete dress. “My whole point in discussions with her was, ‘We have to move forward and this has to be in the past and for you to have a clean slate and be able to enjoy your life and live your life to the fullest, we gotta get rid of them.’”
Now that the lawsuit is settled, Beador may be in a better state to dip her feet into the dating pool.
“She is going on some dates,” Kirschenheiter, 40, teased while wearing a L’AGENCE dress and Lovers + Friends jacket for the outdoor holiday party. “I didn’t meet him, but I think [Emily] might have met a beau.”
Simpson confirmed she had met one of Beador’s potential suitors and when asked if he was “different” from Janssen, the reality star agreed.
“He seems lovely and non litigious,” she said with a laugh. “He didn’t show up with papers to serve her so I feel like that’s a great first step.”
Although The Real Housewives of Orange County wrapped up a dramatic season 18 in November, the cast remains busy outside of the show.
Kirschenheiter and her longtime boyfriend, Travis Mullen, launched their own real estate team called The Gated Group, powered by eXp Realty. As for Simpson, she teamed up with her husband Shane for a brand-new iHeartRadio podcast titled “Legally Brunette.”
“I think it’s a really good niche for the two of us to talk about things that are more pop culture criminal cases,” she said. “That’s where we’re at with that.”
Stream past episodes of The Real Housewives of Orange County now on Peacock.
Tom Sandoval and Victoria Lee Robinson are moving forward as a couple after a private fight turned public on social media.
“Victoria and Tom fought all day [Sunday],” a source exclusively told Us Weekly. “They already had made up by [Monday] morning. They fight a lot and this isn’t out of the norm.”
On Monday, December 16, Robinson, 32, sparked speculation that Sandoval, 42, pulled another so-called “Scandoval” by possibly cheating on her with a best friend.
“Wow … you guys were right. Tiger never changes its stripes,” she wrote via her Instagram Story. “He loves the best friends apparently. I feel like a fool. Completely heartbroken.”
Hours later, she walked back her claims that the reality television star was unfaithful. “I would like to sincerely apologize for my previous post. I had a true misjudgment in a situation,” she wrote via a separate Instagram Story. “Tom did not do anything. From my own personal trauma and experiences hearing false accusations about him all the time clouded my judgment and got the best of me.”
A source reiterated to Us that an alleged infidelity did not happen.
“There was no cheating,” the insider said. “They are fine now. It was a miscommunication.”
Us has reached out to Robinson and Sandoval’s reps for comment.
The couple confirmed their relationship in February 2024, nearly a year after Sandoval went from famous to infamous for cheating on now-ex-girlfriend Ariana Madix with their Vanderpump Rules costar Rachel “Raquel” Leviss.
Robinson previously told Us that she had never watched Vanderpump Rules before meeting Sandoval.
“We are sitting having dinner, and I’m like, ‘What the hell did you do?’” Robinson told Us when recalling her first dates with the musician. “He’s grown and he’s much better than he was, and I’m so proud of him.”
While Sandoval admitted the relationship first took him by surprise, he’s grateful for all the positive memories he has made with Robinson in just a few short months.
“[She’s brought] a lot of love, a lot of fun, a lot of support, a lot of great memories already,” he told Us in October while celebrating Thea De Sousa’s The Unofficial Vanderpump Rules Ultimate Trivia Book. “We complement each other very well. We’re both very adventurous and spontaneous.”
As Aaron Rodgers remains estranged from several family members, fans are learning more about his fractured relationship with parents Ed and Darla Rodgers.
In the Netflix docuseries, Aaron Rodgers: Enigma, the NFL quarterback recalled his childhood and the decision to rebel against his Christian upbringing.
“I grew up in a very white, dogmatic church and that just didn’t really serve me,” Aaron told Netflix cameras. “It was very rigid in structure [and] I’m not a rigid person. Shame, guilt, judgment — it was like, ‘We have the truth, our way or the highway. Our way is heaven, your way is hell.’”
When talking to his parents, Aaron said things were “very black and white.”
“Like, somebody has to be wrong [and] somebody has to be right,” he continued. “I just slowly uncoupled from that in high school.”
While Darla has not publicly commented on the distance between her and Aaron, Ed briefly discussed his son in an interview with The New York Times.
“It’s complicated,” Ed told the publication in January 2017. “We’re all hoping for the best.”
Like many family dynamics, there isn’t just one reason why Aaron distanced himself from his parents. Keep reading to see what may have contributed to their decade-long estrangement.
How Did Aaron Rodgers’ Childhood Affect His Adulthood?
In Enigma, Aaron said he believed that his parents “felt like I was a little soft.” As a result, “I made sure I was the toughest motherf—er that I knew.”
He later added that he’s “thankful” for his parents thinking he was “soft growing up” because it allowed him to push forward, especially in the wake of various football injuries.
“I think I saw my dad cry when my grandfather passed,” he said when recalling his childhood. “And that might have been it. There wasn’t space for emotion. So, I definitely had some stunted emotional intelligence to communicate those emotions, for sure.”
How Did Aaron Rodgers’ NFL Fame Impact His Family?
“There were a lot of times, when I became real famous, where I heard from a lot of people, including family members, where it was like, ‘Your life is too big, we need you to be smaller. Be smaller, don’t talk about your life,’” Aaron said in Enigma. “It always hurt, me because I just feel like you don’t see me. This is not something I ever desired or wanted, other than playing on Sundays.”
Aaron said he felt misunderstood and admitted that relationships changed after his position in the NFL rose. “It can definitely change the people around your circle because it can be intoxicating, the fame and notoriety,” he explained.
Did Aaron Rodgers’ Ex-Girlfriend Olivia Munn Play a Role in the Estrangement?
Although Ed and Darla have suggested Aaron’s former girlfriend, Olivia Munn, may be responsible for causing a wedge in the family, the quarterback and his ex deny the claims.
“He hadn’t spoken to the parents and one brother for, like, eight months before we started dating,” Munn — who dated Aaron from 2014 to 2017 — said on Watch What Happens Live With Andy Cohen in 2018.
Aaron also stated to biographer Ian O’Connor — who wrote the 2024 book Out of the Darkness: The Mystery of Aaron Rodgers — that his issues with his family were “deep rooted” and Olivia “has nothing to do with all the years” they haven’t spoken.
How Did ‘The Bachelorette’ Disappoint Aaron Rodgers?
In 2016, Aaron’s brother, Jordan Rodgers, was a contestant on JoJo Fletcher’s season of The Bachelorette. During hometown visits, Aaron was noticeably missing as producers left two empty chairs for Aaron and his then-girlfriend, Munn. The situation left Aaron disappointed.
“I thought the best way to do it was just don’t talk about it publicly,” he said. “And what do they do? They go on a bulls— show and leave two empty chairs. They all agreed this was a good thing to do, to leave two empty chairs at a stupid dating show that my brother just went on to get famous — his words, not mine. That he ended up winning. But a dinner that was during the season, I was never asked to go to. Not that I would’ve gone.”
All three episodes of Aaron Rodgers: Enigma are currently streaming on Netflix.
Lily-Rose Depp is sharing some of her earliest entertainment memories with younger brother Jack Depp.
“I was always a fan of the Dracula tale,” Lily-Rose, 25, shared on the Monday, December 16, episode of The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. “My brother and I were obsessed with Abbott and Costello as kids, and, you know, they have a whole, like, Meet the Monsters series.”
Bud Abbott and Lou Costello were a comedy duo whose work in radio, film and television made them the most popular comedy team of the 1940s and 1950s.
One project that stood out to Lily-Rose and her younger brother — whose parents are Johnny Depp and French singer Vanessa Paradis — was the pair’s “Meet Dracula” episode with actor Bela Lugosi.
“My brother was 3 or 4 at the time, and he started dressing up like Dracula and doing these kind of really serious line readings of the lines,” Lily-Rose recalled to host Jimmy Fallon. “So in a way, I grew up as, like, the older sister to Dracula.”
Perhaps it’s only fitting then that the actress is starring in a new film, titled Nosferatu. The movie is an adaptation of Bram Stoker‘s 1897 novel Dracula.
Before saying yes to the film, Lily-Rose couldn’t help but recall more than a few childhood memories with Jack, 22.
“When I got the opportunity to audition for this movie, I thought, ‘How full circle,’” she said. “Maybe I’ll get some cool points with my bro.”
Spoiler alert: She absolutely did.
“He saw the movie. He loved the movie,” she said. “It’s the tale of a 19th-century young woman who is haunted by this ancient vampire, and from this connection follows a lot of chaos and a great story.”
For the past two years, Jack has reportedly been working at L’Area, a Lebanese restaurant in Paris. “Jack is a great guy,” owner Edouard Chueke told the Daily Mail in an interview published December 7. “He keeps out of the limelight, but worked here behind the bar and in the kitchen.”
As for his older sister, she showed signs of wanting to be a star from a very young age. While appearing on The Tonight Show, Lily-Rose recalled the band she tried to create with Harley Quinn Smith at the young age of 6.
“We were called the Pink Elephants and it was all about elephants,” she said with a laugh. “We were both all about elephants as kids and she had this pink elephant stuffed animal. It was highly coveted in the group. … At some point, the band had to break up and we didn’t quite go all the way.”
Nosferatu is in theaters everywhere on December 25. The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon airs on NBC weeknights at 11:35 p.m. ET.
“We have and we had such great chemistry,” Morales, 52, exclusively told Us Weekly ahead of the show’s series finale. “I think it always boils down to the team around you and the chemistry and we all brought something so unique and different. I think everybody has such a unique background.”
Kloots, 42, joined the show in 2021 and is already asking for enough tissues to last her throughout the final week of filming.
“I feel like each day is going to be emotional,” she told Us. “I think each day they’re going to highlight us with a montage. Montages always get me. I think each day is going to be a hard one.”
Before their final goodbye, Kloots and her cohosts were able to chat with Us and share some of their favorite memories filming the daytime talk show. They also gave a tease of what’s to come as they remain in the entertainment industry — and continue their group chat.
“These are forever friends,” O’Connell, 50, proclaimed. “I don’t think this is over. It is funny when a job ends though because you have to go out and make plans now to see each other. But it is going to be funny if we see a story that we normally talk about at work. I’m going to be sending it to you guys!”
Sheryl Underwood
For nearly 13 years, Underwood, 61, brought her humor and point of view to The Talk.
“We’ve learned a lot from each other,” the comedian told Us before kicking off her 2025 comedy tour dates. “I look at this as a great evolution. It’s time for us. A phenomenal journalist [Natalie], actor, father [Jerry]. You’re talking about Broadway star [Amanda]. Akbar, football player. Me coming in at season two. We came for our time. We did what we needed to do. Now Godspeed to great things.”
Before she leaves the studio for good, Underwood joked that she’s going to borrow some holiday decor from the set.
“You see that Christmas tree behind you? It’s going to look like the ribs on the Flinstone’s car,” she joked. “I’m going to put it right on the top of my car.”
Akbar Gbajabiamila
While the former NFL player loved creating memorable moments with special guests like Kelly Rowland, Steve Harvey and Montell Jordan, Gbajabiamila, 45, will remember the friends who made him a better host and coworker.
“I’m going to miss watching Natalie and her professionalism and how she handles things,” the American Ninja Warrior host told Us. “She’s somebody that I always watched and just admired from afar. The camaraderie that I have with Amanda. We’re closest in chairs and you don’t have people like that in Los Angeles, per se. Just this cool, Midwest person that’s very relatable.”
Gbajabiamila called O’Connell a “cool cheerleader” and praised Underwood’s priceless advice that it’s about “consistency” and “chemistry” in daytime TV.
Natalie Morales
Morales is grateful The Talk allowed her to “let loose and have some fun” when so many viewers were used to seeing her as “News Natalie.”
She’s also happy the show was a place where celebrity guests could visit and feel comfortable being themselves.
“Whenever people come out here, they just love the opportunity to just bond with us,” Morales explained. “Our guests have always just appreciated that this is not a gotcha show. This is not a show that’s here to get a headline. We’re here to let them be free and have fun with us, and we have fun everyday.”
Morales plans to continue working with CBS and is expected to appear more on 48 Hours, CBS Mornings and other programs.
Amanda Kloots
When looking back on all the guests that appeared on The Talk, Kloots can’t believe she met her childhood crush.
“I loved when Mark McGrath was on the show,” she told Us. “I had a picture of him on my planner in high school and I confessed to him on air, ‘You were my high school crush!’ And also, Zack Morris [Mark-Paul Gosselaar] when he was on our show. It’s so funny to meet these people that in high school, I didn’t miss a Saturday morning of Saved By the Bell. Same with Tiffani Thiessen when she was here.”
Looking towards the future, Kloots will continue to work in the health and wellness space and host Live From the Other Side With Tyler Henry on Netflix.
Jerry O’Connell
While O’Connell loved interviewing celebrities and chatting with his cohosts, he wanted to give one special shoutout to The Talk’s wardrobe department.
“The clothes we wear are so cool,” he told Us. “Now when I go out to lunch with my wife, she’s going to be so disappointed because it’s just going to be me and my ripped t-shirts again and my dirty vans.”
Looking ahead, O’Connell is excited to begin taking playwriting classes. He’ll also continue being a volleyball dad to his 15-year-old twin daughters Charlie and Dolly.
“It’s tough to keep my kids playing volleyball. They’re not into it anymore,” he said. “I just have teenage daughters who actually said yesterday, ‘We’re thinking about quitting.’ [And I said] ‘Well, what about the last four years of my life and me driving you everywhere? What about that?’”
The Talk airs on CBS weekdays at 2 p.m. ET/1 p.m. PT with the final episode scheduled for Friday, December 20.